The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-12-01
OUR POSTAL SERVICE.
POSTMASTER GENERALS REPORT.
Makes q Good Showing for the Year Just
Clossd-somo Important Reeomm m endn.
tions-No Discussion Of the Postal
Telegraph Sshoms, n Expected,

Ter General Villas annual report Is given
to tho public to-day. Following are some
OF Ito interesting features:
The expectation OF growth and improve.
ment in the Affairs oi the poetsl service,
INDUCED In previous reports, has been
realized during tho past year. In part
arising from an extension OF the limits OF
mailablO matter Of the fourth class-or-
dered to meet the requirements Of trade
and from the receipta Of the specialize.
livery service, bu. chiefly from the greater
employment OF all postal facilities conse-
quent upon the rising business prosperity
Of the country, faithfully reflected in the
poatal service, tho rovsnues have gained
upon tho preceding year by nearly s. S4O,-
00O, attaining height never reached be.
fore, despite the restrictive operation OF
various reductions In tho rates OF postspe.
In this promising condition special In.
tereste may be expected to vigorously
press for a reduction In rates Of poatage In
come class OF mail matter, always OF spec.
ious appearance Of popularity. The time
is probably no! distant when, II the wisest
measures Of economy be pureued, the rate
OF charge upon letters can be properly
lowered to one cent an ounce, and some
dimin'shment permitted In the poatnges
upon merchandise aud other matter. But
the letter postage in the United States ia
now fixed at rate below that OF all other
countries ssvs one, and, when the dis.
tances Of transportation are considered, ia
cheaper than any other And tho com.
bined receipta from NIL matter not OF the
hrss claas fall far abort of The cost OF ite
handling; anording little claim, therefore,
ior lees postage charges. :
lNCREAsE or OFFICES.
The prosperity Of the servlca is the
prosperity OF the postottlces, and the gains
OF the year arc marked in their advance.
ment. To bring tho general tisures up TO
q recent date, tho Who'll" number Of post.
Offices on the 1st day OF October had be.
come 1884, Of which 1881 were aa'sried
or Presidential otlicep, distributed in
classes aa before mentioned, and s. 053
we're fourth claes. Besides these were 825
branch offices 0. stations, an ircreaBs Of
twelve for the sale Of stamps only. or
the whole, $3.50 were moneyorder offices
and ITO money order citations.
The appointments of postnasteru nun.
bsred altogether during the fiscal
year 1909. OF which G. SOB were to fill va.
csnciea happening upon the expiration OF
commissions or by designations; 5S4 upon
a.
and 3.0i3 to newly established ofIices.
AmouS the Presidential pnatmasters in
office on the 4.h OF March, 1885, the per
centsge Of suspensions end removals 60
shown is 81 and the percentage Of their
voluntary resignstions during the psriod
OF two years and upTardo 1873.
On tho 7th OF March, 1885, tho entire
number Of fourth-class oitices wss 49,0l7.
The now establishments aince have been
6 500, o: which "a in the fiscal year 1885,
3.4S2 in 1856. and 304S in 1887; and the
dieCon;inusnces in tho corresponding per-
iods Here 72, l.l20, and SOC. respectively,
total of 692. besldes net addition 10
tho Presidential classes of 103, leaving the
number in the fourth. class on the Int on
tho Grss day OF July last, as stated, So, ,S2l.
In ell these Offices the total number OF Np-
poiutments have been % 252. =
aG TIE SALARY QUESTION.
It 10 obvious at once that the correct
settlement Of acheme for sslaries, while
perhaps necessarily to be graduated with
some reference TO the volume OF business,
depends upon a correct measurement Of
Hh n nl,ttp ~ Nf he -.
posed on, and personal duties to be exact.
ed OF, poatn!aster5 in tho yarious offices,
Tho .oweGt GALAXY ought not, as now, 10 be
fixed atthe maximum allowed the highest
grads OF the Commiasion-pai poetmGs.ers,
but at sufficiently lesser figure to recog.
MIA adequately that commieeions ara de.
niSnal TO cover tho e1psnspn Of the otiico
ns well as the poasmas!sr'e compensation.
Thus, i'll such division, tho largest cclr.
miss:ona might yield a yearly aggregate OF
nasriy 81 400 on business appro1ims!iug
$4,000 .eg5
Tee Pos.msstsr General reeommeDds
that the Government build, at cost not
exceeding $4,000 CT $4,000 !or each
building, Gfo.proo' pos!oiiiso in evsry
town where it is no. obliged to sert o
building Tor the purpcse. slle2in9 that tho
coe. Of anch erscsiou wcu!d b. H.ved IN
rentals III very nhost time.
The MoIey.O:tler Service continued To
increase in volume during Tie pnst yesT,
the amount In The aggregate OF domestic
ordera reaching SILT 462 $50 50, and OF il.
ternationsi orders 1885 $50 81; "a psr
centum OF inGreass over the preceding
year in domestic orders, aud % So per
cent III foreigu. The aggregate OF po.tal.
notea iasued wss Sll,76S S24 81, an in
crease CT but S50. .sl4 ~. Tho reduction of
the fee from eight to five can!s Tor domes.
tic noney-orders 10. exceeding IS, pur-
susnt 10 the recommendation of two years
ogo, has operated to increase the use of
this servica 10 the remitters Of small Gums
in noticeable degree.
OLD CLAIMS.
The rcadjustment Of postmssters' aala-
riea Of the third, fourth aud fllth classes
Of the sct oil 1864, for the ton years end
ing June 80, 1874, &c required by the act
Of 1888, has been pushed with oil the
iorca ,f the department assigIah!e to thie
duty. l hoped the cntirs review would
be cam p!etsd by tho end OF the last fiscsl
year, but the work OF ths division failed
to meet this expectation, although it OPP
poaro to havo boen pressed industrious!y.
There remained at thu date OF the lss. re-
port from the Office 6.b7s clsimu on file for
consideration. .,Sl 8, (. ..3
The Railway Mail Service, its extent,
incIssse. chaugea, operations, ard con-
ditions, ore presented in ths-report Of the
GensIa! Superintendent, from which and
accompanying exhibits it sppea,s that ct
the close OF the H.csl year there wore 9l3
linea OF rail~sy postoflicoa, an increase Of
42, extending over lag 900 IL miles Of rail-